Automatic surf-breaking apparatus



H 0. BARLOW. AUTOMATIC SURF BREAKING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, I921.

. Lwfiwu- Patent d uly 25,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. 0. BARLOW. AUTOMATIC SURF BREAKING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY.5|1921.

1 ,423,640. Patented July 25, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. E fi'.

fA/l/f/vroni Herndon 0. EarZQw 3 11613,

75 W. 1 {ML}? HERNDON 0. BARLOW', OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Annemarie SURF-BREAKING arranarns.

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" i Application fiieaira 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERNDON O. BAnLow, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Automatic Surf-Breaking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an apparatus for breaking up the surf of the ocean, and it object is to protect docks and wharves, and to prevent the ocean from washing away or changing thebeac-h and shore line.

Other objects and advantages may appear in the subjoined detail description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical and sectional view of my device mounted on a section of a wharf, and having the windwheel arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the windwheel as shown in Fig. 1, and of the non rotatable part of the casing enclosing the wheel. Fig. 3 is a vertical and sectional view of a modified form of the device. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the device shown in l teferring to the drawings, the preferred form of my invention is constructed with a tubular base 11, secured to and projecting from the underside of the wharf 12, and having the opening 13 for exhaust of the air beneath the wharf. The tubular section let is provided with a transverse brace member 15, in which is j ournalled the shaft 16. On this shaft is mounted the wheel 17, having the spokes 18, arranged as vanes to be actedupon by the wind, and having the integral T1111 19, having a gear-toothed edge 20, in engagement with the pinion 21, on countershaft 22. This countershaft drives the rotary air compressor 23. A pipe 24, extends from the pressure chamber 25, of the air compressor, downwardly, and is adapted to extend beneath the water. At the end of the pipe 24:, I provide a series of air exhaust apertures 26. The pipe may extend so that the delivery end is located where the air will serve to break up the surf. I further provide the revoluble funnel 27 which directs the wind to the wheel 17 The funnel is provided with a toothed flange 28 in engagement with the pinion 29, which is rotated for adjustment of the funnel to the direction of the wind. A hand crank 30 is provided for rotating the inion 29.

In the m0 ified form shown in Fig. 3, I

1 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 25, 1922,

1921. SerialNo. 436,891).

provide a standard 31, on which is mounted the frame 32, swivelly connected to the standard. In frame 32 is journalled the air wheel The standard is open at thebottom, and has side openings 34, and a countershaft 35 is journalled in the standard. The shaft 35 is provided with a small pulley 36, and drives the air compressor 37, which is provided with the apertured delivery tube 38. A funnel 39, serves to direct the wind to the airwheel 33. This frame in which the wheel 33 is mounted, may be adjusted by the handwheel 10, on shaft 41, which has a pinion -12 in engagement with a toothed sector 43, on the bottom of frame 32. A belt 14 serves to transmit the power from the wheel 33 to the air compressor 37.

In use, the device is erected on the wharf. and the funnel is adjusted to the direction of the wind. The delivery pipe extends beneath the water, and produces a series of air jets, which constantly rise to the surface and serve to break the surf. The device is automatic in operation, and increases in effectiveness as the wind increases. The first-described apparatus may be adjusted to the wind in any direction, and the second apparatus may be adjusted through an arc of approximately 120 degrees. By proper adjustment of the funnel 27, so that the open end thereof is away from the wind, the operation of the air compressor may be stopped for adjustment or repair. In use, the delivery pipe is always beneath the surface of the water, and the tide has therefore, no influence.

What is claimed is:

1. In a surf-breaking apparatus, the combination with an air compressor, of a delivery tube extending therefrom and beneath the water and having a series of discharge apertures, a tubular base member mounted on the wharf and having an open end beneath the wharf, a tubular section on the base member, a transverse brace in the tubular section, a wind-wheel j ournalled in the brace member, a funnel to direct the wind to the wind-wheel, a countershaft to drive the air compressor, and a pinion on the countershaft in engagement with the wind-wheel.

2. In a surf-breaking apparatus, the combination with air compressing means, of air delivering means extending from the compressing means beneath the surface of the water, air actuated means for driving the compressing means, and means for directing the wind to the air actuated means.

nation With air compressing means and air distributing means therefor and extending beneath the surf, of a tubular conduit, '21 Wind-Whee1 therein, spokes therein adapted to be actuated bythe Wind, a rim integral with the spokes and having a toothed edge,

a pinion driven by the toothedrim, a shaft 20 integralwith the pinion and serving to drive the air compressing means, and an adjustable funnel serving to direct the Wind to the Wind-Wheel.

HERNDON o. BARLoW. 

